Fabric cleaning machine



Aug. 19, 1937. KIRBY 2,089,559

FABRIC CLEANING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 7, 1928 Z5 Z2 INVENTOR James B.Kirby Y BY Patented Aug. 10, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE James B. Kirby,

Manufacturing Comp corporation of Ohio.

West Biohiield. Ohio. assilnor. by meme assignments The Apex Electrical any, Cleveland, Ohio, a

as trustee Reiiled for abandoned applications, Serial No.

317,768, November I. 358,026, April 25. 1929.

13, 1933, Serial No.

23 Claims.

This invention relates to clothes washing machines and has for its object the provision of a new and simplified agitator which shall wash and distribute articles of clothing rapidly and uniformly, with a minimum of wear, and withp out danger of catching and tearing the clothing. Such a device is sometimes called a dolly or dasher.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of my application I have shown certain physical forms in which my inventive idea can be embodied, although said drawing is intended to be merely illustrative of the principles of my invention and not to restrict me to the forms or constructions therein shown. Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the essentialparts of one type of clothes washing machine containing my improved agitator; Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sectional views through modified forms of agitator in which the upper face of the agitator shown in Fig. 2 is substantially of the same configuration as that of theagitator shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of another modification; Fig. 5 is a sectional view corresponding to the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a washing machine showing another form of agitator in place therein; Figs. 7 and 8 show segments of dashers provided with divers surface patterns; Fig. 9 is a sectional view through another construction of dasher taken at rightangles to the general plane of inclination of the impeller plate; Fig. 10 is an enlarged plan view of the top face of the agitator shown in Fig. 6; and Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on line li-i i, Fig. 10.

I have chosen for illustration the simplest possible type of washing machine, comprising a container i for clothing and liquid which is circular in section and is provided in the bottom with an upright, hollow sleeve 2, in which is rotatabiy mounted the vertical rock-shaft 3 terminating at its top in a suitable prismatic or fluted driving head 41 and tightly receiving the cup or socket forming element 5. My improved agitator comprises an impeller vane or blade in the form of a plate 6, preferably of metal, having one side attached to said socket in oblique position.

The shape of the plate may vary widely within my invention. In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown the same as upwardly concave, in Figs. 3 and 6 as fiat, as upwardly convex in Fig. 9, and in Figs. 4 and 5 as saddle-shaped, that is to say, the top surface of the plate is upwardly concave in the longitudinal vertical plane and upwardly con- 1928, and Serial No. This application May v vex in a transverse plane perpendicular both to the general plane of inclination of the plate, somewhat like the shape of a saddle or the brim of a top-hat.

The general plane of the plate at all times makes an oblique angle with the socket axis, although this angle is susceptible of considerable variation depending upon the vigor of action desired. In order to enable this angle to be varied, it is possible to piv'otally connect the plate to the socket cup as shown at I in Fig. 1, although it is simpler to make the socket cup rigid with the plate as shown in the remaining views, being either integral as in Figs. 2, 4, and 5 or riveted thereto as shown at Figs. 3 and 9. The

adjustment of the form of washing device shownln Fig. 1 may be effected upon the loosening of the nut shown at or if the irictional engagement of the parts is not too great the agitator itself may be simply moved by the operator to the position desired without disturbing its securement.

The socket is also set somewhere near the center of the plate, but may vary considerably in this regard as shown by comparison of Figs. 2 and 3. In Fig. 9 Ihave shown the plate as made of sheet metal with a rolled rim 9, and the plate may be either circular or elliptical, but should at least be round-cornered to diminish injury to the clothing. There is a great deal of latitude permissible in the surface of the plate, for example, it may be smooth as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, or ribbed radially as shown in Figs. 6 and 9, or ribbed transversely as shown in Fig. 7, .or embossed as shown in Fig. 8'.

It is the movement of the plate as a whole, rather than the agitation due to these surface irregularities which produces the washing action. In general I prefer an angle between the plate and the horizontal of about 30 to 60", although it can be varied all the way from about 10 with the horizontal to 10 with the vertical. The lower edge of the plate is spaced a sufncient distance above the bottom oi the container to prevent injuring articles of clothing in case they find their way beneath the same. The obliquity of the plate produces at each stroke both a horizontal component and a vertical component of motion, the one tending to produce rotation of the clothes in a vertical plane and the other tending to move them around the tub or container first in one direction and then in a reverse direction.

The vertical and horizontal components of motion imparted to the liquid Just described,

differ somewhat for the various forms of agitators shown. Thus in the case of the upwardly concave plates shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the underside of the half of the plate shown in Fig. 2 will when moved in a clockwise direction as viewedfrom the top of the tub, tend to move liquid downwardly as it is advanced through the liquid while at the same time moving the liquid radially outwardly and circularly around the tub or container. As this is taking place a reduced pressure area is created at'the upper or rear face of the same portion of the plate which tends to move the container contents circularly around the tub in the same direction and to draw them inwardly and downwardly towards the center of the container.

When the movement of the agitator is reversed and as the upper face of the half of the plate shown in- Fig. 2 is advanced through the liquid, it has a tendency to raise the level of the liquid to a somewhat greater extent than was the former tendency of the some portion of the plate to depress the liquid level when moving in a reverse direction. The curvature of the plate appears to lessen the magnitude of the radially outward movement of the liquid for this portion of the cycle of movement of the agitator and to increase the reverse circular movement of clothes and washing fiuid around the container axis. The suction tendency at the underside of this portion of the plate tending to draw the container contents to such surface and towards the central region of the container also appears to be less than it is for the counter-clockwise movement of this portion of the agitator.

The mode of operation of the agitators shown in Figs. 1 and 2 was described with reference to the action which is effected by one-half of the agitator as it is moved first in one direction and then in a reverse direction about its axis. Because of the symmetrical shape of the agitator, its other half effects at the same time corresponding movements of the tub contents for movements of this part of the agitator opposite in direction to the movements of the first mentioned half of the agitator.

The opposite sides of the saddle-shaped plate of the agitator shown in Fig. 4 appear in their operation to cause relatively stronger downcurrents than up-currents as judged by the level of the liquid as it is raised and lowered in front of and behind the opposite halves of the agitator during the operation thereof. The rear half of the plate of this agitator opposite to the half exposed to view in Fig. 4 appears to cause a circular movement of fluid and clothes about the axis of the container, stronger in a clockwise direction than in the reverse direction, which movement is of course oifset by a similar and opposite effect by the other half of the plate of the agitator as would be expected by reason of its symmetrical shape.

Similarly, though perhaps to a lesser extent in some respects, the same general washing action is accomplished with the flat plate agitator shown in Fig. 5 as is accomplished with the agitators shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The washing action of the agitators disclosed herein may be likened to the combined actions of a vacuum cup machine and the so-called gyrator machine, combining with the strong suction effects of the former, whereby the detergent liquid is forced through the fabric of the articles being washed, the intense agitation of the latter type of machine whereby the entire contents of the container are powerfully circulated and the individual pieces of the batch of washing are each subjected periodically and successively to the washing action of the agitator.

In addition to the foregoing, highly desirable results, the opposite halves of the agitators disclosed herein each move through the clothes and washing fluid with greater ease in one direction than in a reverse direction as distinguished from the prior art vertical blade washing machine agitators-in which the effect of the movement of the individual blades of the agitator is the same in one direction as it is in the other. By reason of this new mode of operation the clothes are worked upon more uniformly and the ratchet effect of the opposite halves ofthe agitator serves to circulate the clothes better and to promote faster and more uniform washing of the batch of articles undergoing treatment.

This action may be more readily understood by considering the operation of halves of the agitators corresponding in section to the half of the agitator shown in Fig. 2. This portion of each of the agitators will tend to cause during the oscillation of the agitator a continuous, circular movement of clothes and liquid in one direction around the axis of the tub. The fact that the opposite half of each of the agitators tends to move the clothes in a reverse circular direction, does not nullify the intended object sought to be accomplished as each side of the agitator will tend to advance in a step-by-step manner the articles on its side of the tub in one circular direction and thus the articles of the batch of laundry are acted upon part-by-part and pieceby-piece as they move in this manner in the region acted upon by each of the halves of the different agitators.

The combination of the two motions brings all parts of the clothes into close contact with the cleansing liquid, and distributes them uniformly throughout the entire tub. The vertical circulation also diminishes the tendency of the clothes to become lodged beneath the dasher while the distance of the dasher from the casing bottom prevents any possibility of the clothes becoming cut or torn. Those distances also facilitate cleansing and drying of the machine after use. I prefer to keep the agitator completely submerged with liquid in use since its agitating efiect is so great as to produce unpleasant splashing when partly exposed.

The vigor of the action is so great that it is sometimes desirable to fasten the socket to the shaft so as to prevent removal by mere vertical pull. As an example of this I have shown a spring latch in Fig. 1, carried by the socket and engaging a shoulder on the driving head until released by pulling the finger piece 9.

The oscillation of the shaft can be effected by any suitable or desired mechanism, through any desired angle. In Fig. 1 I have shown an illustrative mechanism comprising an elongated pinion l0 carried by the shaft 3 and meshing with a rack II which is itself pivoted to a crank l2 carried by the shaft l3 which is perpendicular to the shaft 3 and is driven by the electric motor M by means of the belt 15, pulley l6, worm i1, Worm-gear l8 and clutch l9.

Whatever the direction or shape of the ribbed or embossed projections 20' and 20" or corrugations 20, the peculiar motion of the inclined plate causes an agitation which proves highly efiicacious in loosening foreign matter from clothing. It is possible to modify the action of the device to some degree by forming slots or apertures in the plate. For example I have shown in Figure 10 four narrow slots 2|, 22, 23, as, each bridged at short distances by tongues 25 of metal to reduce the likelihood that clothing will be caught therein, and for the same purpose the ribbed or embossed projections and the corrugations are provided with inclined sides and rounded crests, as indicated in the drawing, to present substantially smooth surfaces.

As viewed in Figs. 10 and 11 the slots 2| and 22 are formed in one side of alternate corrugations of the lower portion of the plate and face generally the right, whereas the slots 23 and 24 are formed in corresponding corrugations to the right of the slots 2i and 22 and they face generally to the left.

As a result of the locating of the slots upon opposite faces of the corrugations the flow of liquid through the slots is substantially all in a direction through the plate from the upper to the underside thereof, said flow occurring through one pair of slots during one stroke and through another pair of slots on the return stroke. The liquid movement thus produced tends to deflect clothes away from the bottom edge of the dasher and to reduce the chances of their becoming entangled. Similar slots may be formed in the corresponding corrugations 20b of the dasher shown in Figure 9 for accomplishing the same results.

My improved agitator can be made of any suitable material, such as wood, cast metal, or sheet metal. When made of sheet metal as shown in Fig. 9 the ribs are pressed in the body thereof as shown at 201), and the edge is rolled to form the rim 8.

Leakage of liquid from the tub i is obviated to a great extent by using the central shaft receiving opening in the bottom of the tub for the reception of the tub seourement means which may take the form of a nut 21 threadably engaging the upper part of the sleeve 2 between which the tub is gripped in leak-proof relation, there being provided a suitable gasket 28 between the tub and the nut. The rim 29 of the agitator socket cup 5 extends over and around the tub seourement means and serves to prevent the articles being washed from wrapping therearound. The marginal portion of the bottom of the tub simply rests on the frame member 3i and is not otherwise secured to the frame at this point. The bottom of the tub extends upwardly in the form of a cone 32 symmetrical with the axis of the tub for the purpose of stiffening the tub and for facilitating the drainage of liquid therefrom.

This application is a continuation of my copending applications Serial No. 317,768, fi ed November '7, 1928 and Serial No. 358,026, filed April 25, 1929 and now abandoned.

It will be understood that many changes in detail can be made within the scope of my inventive idea and I do not limit myself in any wise except as specifically recited in my several claims which I desire may be construed broadly each independently of limitations contained in other claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. An agitator for clothes washing machines comprising, an impeller plate and an element of a shaft socket-connection rigid therewith and projecting from one face of the plate, opposite faces of said plate being respectively concave and convex in one axial section with the general plane of the plate inclined with respect to the axis of the shaft socket-connection.

2. An agitator for clothes washing machines comprising a plate and an element of a shaft socket-connection on one face of the plate within the marginal outline thereof and rigid therewith, the axis .of the socket being inclined with respect to the general plane of the plate, one face at least of said plate having its surface configurated so as to provide a series of rubbing and scrubbing projections with inclined sides and rounded crest to prevent catching the clothes.

3. An agitator for clothes washing machines comprising a plate with one element of a shaft socket-connection on one face thereof and having the socket axis inclined substantially with respect to the general plane of the plate, said plate being concave on the face adjacent to the socket and convex at its opposite side.

,4. A clothes washing machine agitator comprising a warped impeller plate, the opposite faces of which are respectively concave and convex in a section taken vertically to the general plane of the plate and respectively convex and concave in a section at right angles to both said planes, and an element of a mounting means for the agitator on one face of the plate.

5. A clothes washing machine agitator comprising a dished corrugated plam and means defining an element of a socket connection projecting from the concave face of the plate on an axis inclined with respect to the general plane of the plate.

6. In a clothes washing machine, in combination, a container for clothing and liquid, a vertical shaft journaled in the bottom thereof, means for oscillating said shaft about its axis, and an agitator comprising a laterally extending, smooth impeller vane which is inclined as a whole in the neighborhood of forty-five degrees with respect combination, a container for clothes and liquid, a

vertical shaft therein, an agitator carried by said shaft in a position intermediate the top and bottom limits of the washing liquid and comprising a laterally extending, smooth impeller vane which is inclined as a whole in the neighborhood of forty-five degrees with respect to the horizontal and which has its opposite faces exposed to the clothes and liquid, said vane being spaced radially inwardly from the container side walls a substantial distance so as to permit free circulation of the container contents about the agitator, and means for oscillating said agitator about the axis of said shaft whereby the movement of the impeller vane due to its obiquity serves to agitate the contents of said container.

8. In a clothes washing machine, in combination, a container for clothingand liquid, a vertical shaft journaled in the bottom of said container, means for oscillating said shaft about its axis, and an agitator operatively connected to said shaft comprising a laterally extending vane inclined as a whole a substantial amount in one general d rection with respect to the vertical and hav ng its opposite faces exposed to the clothing and liquid in said container, the outermost parts of said vane being spaced inwardly a substantial distance from the sides of said container whereby the clothing and liquid may circulate f-reely about the agitator during its operation, the surfaces of the opposite faces of said vane also being inclined a substantial amount with respect to the general plane of inclination of the vane.

9. In a clothes washing machine, in combination, a container for clothing and liquid, a vertical shaft journaled in the bottom of said container, means for oscillating said shaft about its axis, and an agitator operatively connected to said shaft comprising a laterally extending vane inclined as a whole a substantial amount in one general direction with respect to the vertical and having its opposite faces exposed to the clothing and liquid in said container, the outermost parts cave and convex.

l0. In.a washing machine, a container'for detergent liquid and articles to be washed, an agitator mounted for oscillation about a vertical axis in said container, said agitator comprising a liquid impelling blade part extending outwardly of such axis and terminating short of the walls of the container so as to leave space about the agitator in the container for the circulation of the liquid and the articles being washed during the operation of the agitator, the opposite faces of the liquid impelling blade-part of said agitator each being exposed to the liquid and articles in said container, said liquid impelling blade part being inclined as a whole in the neighborhood of fortyfive degrees with respect to the horizontal with the result that the space swept through by said blade part is substantially less than it is for a vertically disposed blade part of the same area whereby said inclined blade part may be more easily propelled through the liquid while at the same time providing substantially smooth surfaces of large area for rubbing contact with the articles being washed, and means for oscillating said agitator about its axis of oscillation.

11. In a clothes washing machine, in combination, a container for clothing and liquid, a vertical shaft journaled-in the bottom of said container, means for oscillating said shaft about its axis, and an agitator operatively connected to said shaft comprising a laterally extending vane inclined as a whole a substantial amount in one general direction with respect to the vertical and having its opposite faces exposed to the clothing and liquid in said container, the outermost parts of said vane being spaced inwardly a substantial distance from the sides of said container whereby the clothing and liquid may circulate freely about the agitator during its operation, the top and under faces of said vane being respectively concave and convex.

12. A washing machine comprising, a tub for fluid and clothes, an agitator therein comprising a plate and a socket-defining member on one face thereof and rigid therewith, said plate having both faces exposed to the fluid and clothes and having the surface of at least one face of the plate configurated so as to provide a series of offset rubbing projections with inclined sides and rounded crests to prevent catching the clothes, and reversely-rotary driving means engaging said socket-defining member for supporting said plate for to-and-fro movement about a substantially vertical axis with its faces inclined with respect to such axis.

13. In a'clothes washing machine, a tub for liquid and clothes, a driving shaft mounted therein for movement about a vertical axis, means for driving said shaft with a reversely-rotary movement about its axis, and an agitator having a socket adapted to detachably receive said driving shaft, said agitator comprising a plate projecting laterally beyond said socket in all directions and inclined as a whole a substantial amount with respect to the vertical, said plate having liquid impelling, clothes contacting corrugated scrubbing surfaces on both its upper and lower faces.

14. A clothes washing machine comprising, in combination, a container for clothing and liquid, a vertical shaft journaled therein, means for driving said shaft with a reversely-rotary movement,

and an agitator comprising a dished plate operatively connected to said-shaft on an angle relative to the axis of the shaft with its opposite faces exposed to the clothing and liquid in said container, the faces ofsaid plate being provided with rubbing and scrubbing projections.

15. A clothes washing machine comprising, in combination, a container for clothing and liquid, a vertical shaft journaled therein,'means for driving said shaft with a reversely-rotary movement about its axis, and an agitator comprising a dished plate operatively connected to said'shaft on an angle relative to the axis of the shaft, said plate having adownwardly presented concave face and an upwardly presented convex face, both of which are provided with rubbing and scrubbing projections and exposed to the clothing and liquid in said container.

16. A clothes washing machine comprising, a container for clothes and liquid, an upright shaft mounted in said container for oscillation about its axis, means for driving said shaft with a reversely rotary movement, and an agitator in said container comprising a warped impeller plate the opposite faces of which are each respectively concave and convex in a section taken vertically to the general plane of the plate and respectively convex and concave in a section at right angles to both said planes, and means for operatively mounting said agitator on said shaft whereby the agitator may be oscillated by the shaft.

17. In a clothes washing machine, a tub for holding liquid and articles to be washed, an agitator in said tub for effecting the washing operation comprising a socket forming element and a single smooth-edged plate rigid therewith and inclined with respect to the horizontal, a shaft mounted for movement about a vertical axis and operatively connected to the socket forming element of said agitator, and means for oscillating said shaft about its axis, said' plate having a narrow, radially extending slot adjacent that portion which is lowest when in operating position, the socket formed by said element being located on the underside of said plate.

18. A clothes washing machine comprising, in combination, a container for clothing and liquid, a shaft therein mounted for movement about a vertical axis, means for oscillating. said shaft about its axis, and an agitator comprising a plate operatively connected to said shaft on an angle relative to the vertical, the upper face at least of said plate having corrugations and certain of the corrugations near the lower edge of said plate running in a generally up and down direction and having slots in their sides for the passage of liquid therethrough.

19. In a fabric cleaning machine, a container for liquid and articles to be cleaned, an agitator in said container comprising a radially extending impeller vane with its opposite faces exposed to the articles and liquid and inclined with respect to the horizontal for effecting the cleaning operation, means for supporting and driving said agitator, and means for shifting the impeller vane of said agitator to various adjusted positions for varying the intensity of the agitation produced by said agitator.

20. A fabric cleaning machine, a container for liquid and articles to be cleaned, an agitator in said container comprising a radially extending impeller vane with its opposite faces exposed to the articles and liquid and inclined with respect to the horizontal for effecting the cleaning operation, said agitator being of such size and configuration so as to permit the articles to freely circulate thereabout in the container during the cleaning operation, means for supporting and driving said agitator, and means for tilting the impeller vane of said agitator to various adjusted positions for varying the intensity of the agitation produced by said agitator.

21. A fabric cleaning machine comprising, 'a container for liquid and articles to be cleaned, a dasher mounted centrally in said container comprising an impeller vane having an agitating surface for effecting the cleaning operation, means for oscillating said dasher about a vertical axis,

.and means for varying the angle of the impeller vane of said dasher with respect to the tangential direction of its movement for varying the intensity of the agitation produced by said dasher.

of said dasher whereby to change the inclination of the face of the vane with respect to the horizontal for varying the agitating effect of the operative surfaces of said dasher.

23. -In a fabric cleaning machine, a container for detergent liquid and articles to be cleaned, a shaft traversing the bottom of said container and mounted for movement about a vertical axis, an

agitator in said container comprising a plate portion arranged to be oscillated about said axis by said shaft, said plate portion being tilted with respect to said axis and having its opposite sides exposed to the liquid and articles to be cleaned, means including a pivotal connection for adjustably supporting said agitator on said shaft for movement about an axis other than the vertical, said agitator being of such size and configuration so as to permit the articles to freely circulate in the space between the agitator and the walls of said container during the cleaning operation, and

'means for oscillating said shaft.

JALIES B. KIRBY. 

